New York based writer Jennifer Cody Epstein has just published her first novel “A Painter from Shanghai” based on the life of Chinese painter Pan Yuliang. The book traces Pan Yuliang’s tumultuous life and her relentless pursuit of artistic fulfillment against the backdrop of seismic political and social change in the China of the early 20th century. Jennifer’s novel has been called “luminous” by the New York Times and Publishers Weekly says it “captivates to the last line”. She recently “sat” down for an online interview with Shortcut to discuss her new book, her transition from journalist to writer, and what drew her to write about a woman a century and a continent removed from her.

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by moscerina

Photo credit: “Testaccio blues” by _mirko_ (ç„¡)

When it rains, Rome is usually the last place anyone wants to be. You can’t eat outside, unless you don’t mind getting quasi-soaked. The buses, trams and taxis seems to be in limited edition. The Vatican Museums are overrun and the Forum has a mud river flowing through it. That doesn’t mean there is nothing to do in Rome. It just means you have to be clever and get out of the historical center.

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by moscerina

Photo credit: “Testaccio blues” by _mirko_ (ç„¡)

When it rains, Rome is usually the last place anyone wants to be. You can’t eat outside, unless you don’t mind getting quasi-soaked. The buses, trams and taxis seems to be in limited edition. The Vatican Museums are overrun and the Forum has a mud river flowing through it. That doesn’t mean there is nothing to do in Rome. It just means you have to be clever and get out of the historical center.

(more…)

Lately, it seems everyone has been thinking about what travel will be like in the future. The lovable blokes behind the book (and phenomenon) Freakonomics posed the question about how things would look ten years from now to a series of industry bigwigs on their New York Times blog, and got some interesting responses:

Brookings fellow Clifford Winston proposed charging airlines fees for every flight that is delayed, and suggested a “satellite-based air traffic control system that, among other things, would give pilots the freedom to choose the most efficient routing.”Gary Topping, CEO of Topping Travel, foresaw the end of First Class, a renewed focus on happy airline employees (phew!), and the fabulous suggestion that “baggage will be electronically tagged, never to be lost again.” Josh Marks, founder of MAXjet, spoke of increasing specialization for airlines based on traveler’s spending preferences (evoking a ‘there’s room in the market for both Wal-Mart and Saks’ theory); and warned that GPS and “data communications between aircraft and controllers must replace the antiquated radar-and-radio infrastructure that we have now outgrown.”

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By Karolos Grohmann
ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece’s only seaplane operator promises tourists cheaper and faster access to remote islands as well as a nostalgic feel of the pioneering days of air travel.

However, regulatory and safety issues have meant that AirSea Lines has endured a bumpy ride since its launch last year.

The Canadian-led company had to stop flying its two Twin Otter DHC-6 planes, that can carry up to 19 passengers each, to meet new safety standards just two months after acquiring routes serving the popular Aegean island market.

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Returning to the Wanderlust in 1980 on a dhoni ‘manned’ by boys. 

We are very pleased to see that last week, the editors over at the New York Times added another great blog to their mix: Dot Earth, which will focus on sustainability and climate change and is written by science reporter Andrew C. Revkin. In his introductory slide show, Revkin describes how much of his reporting has been informed by his varied travels, so we decided to ask him to delve a bit deeper about the place where travel and sustainability collide.
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Everyone wants a great deal on a vacation, and especially a great flight. Many travelers are fed up with the big airlines and are switching to leaner, more efficient and typically less expensive airlines. Skybus is one example of a new cost effective airline that hopes to lead the pact. In fact, many in the industry are speculating that Skybus could be the flight of the future.

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Summer vacation season is approaching fast, and now is the time to plan your getaway. Every year, you??™ll find the travel industry and tour companies chiming in with their list of perfect destinations ??“ but this list is a little different. It highlights the six travel destinations in the U.S. that you are not visiting ??“ but should be!

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Airline chiefs attack BAA

It is difficult to think of another company with so many dissatisfied customers. More than 70m passengers have passed through Heathrow Airport in the past 12 months and it seems a reasonable bet that not many enjoyed the experience.

About 70m passengers used Heathrow last year

Most businesses would not survive the sort of criticism heaped on Heathrow but then this is no ordinary business. It is part of a monopoly and, with a pivotal position as the “gateway to Europe”, its customers often have little choice but to use it.

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By Karolos Grohmann
ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece’s only seaplane operator promises tourists cheaper and faster access to remote islands as well as a nostalgic feel of the pioneering days of air travel.

However, regulatory and safety issues have meant that AirSea Lines has endured a bumpy ride since its launch last year.

The Canadian-led company had to stop flying its two Twin Otter DHC-6 planes, that can carry up to 19 passengers each, to meet new safety standards just two months after acquiring routes serving the popular Aegean island market.

(more…)